New Legs and Brackets for Wildernest

My Wildernest truck cap camper came without legs and support brackets. This is how I fixed that problem

Step 1: Original Bracket

This (on the left in aluminum) is the bracket that was originally on the cap. It's great but obviously not attached to the truck any longer

If you don't know where this bracket goes on your Wildernest look for unoccupied holes or skim to the last step on this instructable.

Step 2: Get Y'all Some Steele

Remington Steele... Actually just stuff from the Homeless Despot nearest me.

Other materials:
Paint
Drilly bits and spinny machine
Stainless steel screwy things- size 14 X 3/4
New leggy things from the outdoor store (actually fancy adjustable tent poles)
Hacksaw
Tape
Marker
Files
Tiny wingnut pipe clamps or some sort of clip.

Step 3: Cut Your Piece of Steel to the Right Size

Step 4: I Bent the Pieces in a Stump

I didn't have a vice to use so I put the pieces in a crack in a stump and bent them over with a vice grip. It worked perfectly

Step 5: I Cheated

So I don't have a brake or a vice here so I cheated. I sawed/filed a slot 1/4 of the way through the piece to make a relief to make the bend sharper. It works and for this application it's plenty strong

Step 6: Drill the Holes to Finish Size!

O obvs also filed off the burrs

Step 7: Check for Fit

The bit I had made the exact right size hole. You could say the bit fit. fit bit. There's a joke about pointless expensive technology in there somewhere

Step 8: Paintttttttttt

I like paint.

Step 9: Mark the Location and Where the Holes Go on a Field of Tape

The tape is there to make layout easier and so you don't muss up your paint

Step 10: CAREFULLY Drill the Holes

Step 11: Nice Clean Holes

Lookie that

Step 12: A Little Dabber Doer

I used silly con carné in the holes to keep dihydrogenmonoxide from creepin in and messin everything up.

Step 13: Attach the Bracket

I used stainless screws.

Step 14: New Support Poles!

These are adjustable folding tent poles from the megamallfishingstore they should have something like this at your local megamall hunting and fishing store. These were the nicest I could find and they match the color of my truck too!

Step 15: Markem

Mark straight lines on the pipe. There are all sorts of tricks to make lines meet and be straight. Use one of those. I just used the edge of the tape. The marker is there to make it easier to see. As you can see I wrapped the pole in tape. This helps prevent blemishes etc from jumped saw cuts and keeps the marking off the powder coated surface

Step 16: Cut Em!

Cut em straight. It's why you marked them straight.

Step 17: Paint the End You Just Cut

So they don't rust. I filed down the sharp edge and just painted the affected part.

Step 18: Done!!

I've decided to temporarily use this wing-nut hose clamps for now until I get some nice clips to retain the spike in the bracket.


TADA! You've got a pretty awesome brace setup!